President Jonathan
•Govs endorse VP as acting president
•Guild of Editors also
From LUCKY NWANKWERE, Abuja
Saturday, February 06, 2010

Goodluck

Barely five hours after they rose from their meeting in Abuja, in the early hours of yesterday, governors stormed Aso Rock to formally register their support for the clamour that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan take over full presidential authority, in acting capacity and also pledge their loyalty.

The governors, who were led by the chairman of the Governors’ Forum and Kwara State governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, met with the vice president for more than one hour.

Governor Saraki said the governors were resolved that the vice president should be supported by all to assume the reigns of power, as acting president, reiterating their determination to get the National Assembly to come up with a resolution to that effect to end the confusion in the country.

“We associate ourselves with the court ruling that has been given, concerning the president and the vice president and that we also agreed to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly to urge them to pass a resolution recognizing the vice president as the acting president of the nation,” he stated.
Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, said the governors unanimously resolved that all arms of government should support the vice president to discharge his duties, as acting president of the country, refuting the allegation that the northern governors were not supportive of the resolution.

“It is not true that northern governors said Jonathan should not act as president. The northern governors are part of the Governors’ Forum and there was no dissenting voice,” he said, adding that the vice president welcomed the governors’ effort at dousing tension generated by the issue across the country.
“He was happy with the decision of the governors, that yes, while we are praying for the president to recover there is need for a more assertive action and for us to bring all these publications in Nigeria to an end,” he stated.

On his part, Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State said: “We believe that at this point in time, it is necessary that appropriate actions be taken and solutions be found to what appears to be a problem of the existence of a vacuum.

“I don’t share the view of the existence of a vacuum, because the vice-president clearly has the same number of votes as the president; they enjoy a joint mandate. In the event that the transmission does not occur, certain actions can be taken to guarantee the stability of the nation,” he added.
Earlier, Vice President Jonathan expressed surprise over the visit. He, in a jovial manner, likened it to a coup.